


You fill my lungs and take away the air

by Kyriathe



Series: Banned Together Bingo 2020 [1]
Category: Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Divergence - Post-V2, Character Study, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Happy Infidelity, Implied Sexual Content, Infidelity, Loki is also a serial cheater, Loki is in a long-term relationship with Billy and Teddy, Multi, because Loki is a mess, female pronouns for Loki, it's complicated but so is Loki, vague mentions of Billy's depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:36:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyriathe/pseuds/Kyriathe
Summary: It isn't the best timing, taking a phone call from her boyfriends while she's in bed with an alien whose name she doesn't know and doesn't intend to find out, but Loki isn't going to miss a chance.
Relationships: Loki/OC, Teddy Altman/Billy Kaplan/Loki
Series: Banned Together Bingo 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1763827
Kudos: 8
Collections: Banned Banned Together Bingo 2020, Banned Together Bingo 2020





	You fill my lungs and take away the air

Sometimes- often- it's unavoidable that Loki needs to travel; tonight she's on a strange backwater planet called Alaris, staying in what she hears called a Stayplace, but translates to hotel. Like all hotels, it follows certain apparently universal constants, like beds just on the wrong side of comfortable, and terrible decoration. And like all hotels, it's so easy to be anonymous in. To have equally anonymous company in, for a night of shared excitement, unfettered by relationships or strings.

She doesn't look for company on every planet she visits; she doesn't really look at all, any more. But sometimes she finds something potentially new and interesting, some new experience she can't keep herself from trying. Sometimes- sometimes she still needs to misbehave. To prove the strings on her aren't tied too tightly, that she _can_ escape them if she needs to, in a way that causes less harm than she might have chosen before.

No harm at all, if Billy and Teddy never find out, as she intends to make sure they never will. She's fond of them, as much as she can be; voluntarily attached to them, as strange as that might feel at times. And stranger still, beyond anyone's expectations, they to her. A tie she sometimes fears as much as she craves, for the way it binds her to one planet, one place, one Loki.

But crave it she does, and in this life, at least, she plans to try and keep it. So even though she's a little busy when her phone rings in the usual familiar tone she only uses for Billy and Teddy, she wastes little time pushing herself up, dislodging her company in the process. As delightful and surprisingly attentive as her partner for the evening has been, they'll wait. Some things are a little more important, even if that has come as something of a surprise.

"William!" she says, bright and cheerful, teasing with the name she knows he hates as she answers. At the same time she offers a smile to her indignant bed partner, presses a finger to their mouth.

"Hey, Loki." Even across light years, the fondness and frustration are both clear, both familiar. He sounds better tonight, she notes absently, a lighter tone than she's used to in his voice. It should bother her that she cares, but she can't bring herself to mind. "You're not busy right now, right?"

"I was about to sleep," she says. Her bed partner at least seems smart enough to understand what's going on, settling by her side with a knowing smile. At least, she thinks it's a knowing smile; Alari faces are less expressive than she's used to. She'll settle for them making no noise, either way. "But I can make time for you. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call tonight?"

Billy makes a noise down the phone, somewhere between surprise and disbelief, probably at the overly formal comment she just made. They both know she makes them to prompt a response, and they both know Billy will always respond, but it's still a fun game. "Just wanted to see if you're coming by any time soon. It feels like it's been a while, you know?"

She does know. Seventeen days, chasing a secret out here. Hardly any time at all for someone who's lived hundreds of years, but it feels like longer. "Mmm... I've almost found what I'm looking for." Hopefully, at least, she hasn't wasted that time. "A few more days, no longer, and I should be able to make some time for you."

"Good," Billy responds, and it still feels strange that his tone matches the word, genuinely pleased to hear she'll be coming back. She's almost grateful for the distraction as the Alari runs a finger down her leg, but she still grabs for their hand, giving them an amused but disapproving look. Luckily Billy seems just as distracted, a low murmur of conversation on the other end of the phone. "Teddy wants to say hi too, I'm gonna put him on."

"Of course," Loki says. "I'll see you soon, Billy."

"He says he'll see you soon too," a different voice replies, just as familiar, the phone obviously already passed over. "How's it going?"

"As it always does. A few moments of danger, some terribly clever escapes, some very long stretches of boredom." For Billy and Teddy, she tends to gloss over the less legal side of her schemes. She has no doubt they know it happens, but they can pretend if she doesn't outright tell them, at least. "It sounds like it's been a good day for you," she says, a sideways reference to Billy's tone.

One Teddy picks up, as she expected he would. "It's been pretty low-key, at least." Teddy shorthand for not very stressful. "Quiet, too. We missed you."

"...I miss you too," she says, not looking at the Alari still in her bed. It's true. For all she enjoys her nights with other company, wouldn't give up the excitement of it, she misses Billy's occasionally prickly conversation and Teddy's quieter and softer presence. It's just hard to admit, a vulnerability she hates showing. "I'll try and be back as soon as I can."

"We'll be waiting," Teddy says softly, and she believes him. Another low murmur of voices in the background, and the distraction of a teasing bite to her leg, and she takes the chance to pull her emotions back under control, hide her weakness again. "Billy says you were probably about to sleep, so I'll let you go for now. You know you can ring if you need us, right?"

A familiar reminder, and one they both know she'll probably never use, but she appreciates it for what it is. A promise to be there, despite knowing there's a risk in it. More trust than she deserves, particularly from Teddy. An offer that deserves at least a little honesty in response, a reminder of her own. "You of all people should know not to make open offers like that to me."

"Yeah, well, I'm making it." She can almost see Teddy shrug. "Night, Loki. Love you."

"Goodnight, Teddy. Kiss Billy for me, will you?" No words of affection from her, but Teddy knows not to expect them. She couldn't guarantee sincerity if she said them, and Loki might not tell him the whole truth, but she won't play with his feelings, at least. Not now.

"Will do," Teddy says, warmth in his voice, before the line cuts to empty silence and he's gone.

She holds her phone a moment longer, looking at the selfie she uses as wallpaper; the three of them squashed together, Billy looking frustrated and Teddy looking confused, himself draped over their shoulders. And then she very carefully puts her phone down, and slides down to face her nameless partner of the night. 

"Now, where were we?" she says, smile sharp, eyes hooded, and reaches for them.

**Author's Note:**

> My submission for the Happy Infidelity square on my Banned Together Bingo 2020 Card.
> 
> I headcanon Loki as switching between he and she pronouns; for this particular fic she's mostly female. She's aware Billy and Teddy are mostly attracted to her when she's male, and the rest of the time they just cuddle. They make it work, somehow.
> 
> This is also an alternate universe where Loki doesn't quite get away from Billy and Teddy at the end of V2, and instead ends up in a relationship with them- after a lot of making it up to them and a lot of talking it out. But Loki is Loki, and Loki is still a tangled mess of dubious morality and feelings she doesn't quite know how to deal with.
> 
> Title from Stratosphere by STARSET.


End file.
